


If Tomorrow Never Comes

by Pixie_Queen24 (FallenAngel69)



Category: American Idol RPF
Genre: Angst, Community: cookleta, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-23
Updated: 2019-03-23
Packaged: 2019-11-28 07:12:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18205199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenAngel69/pseuds/Pixie_Queen24
Summary: There is an accident that leaves someone wondering 'what if.'





	If Tomorrow Never Comes

**Author's Note:**

> From 2009: So I have had this major writer's block, and everytime I try working on one of my WIPs or my fic requests from my roundtable week, I start something completely different. Here is one of 2 one-shots that I have written in the last 2 days. I don't normally write this and I was kind of surprised that I did it...but not so much once I was done. You'll know why in the end. Anyway, this is not much, just my fingers going on their own free will. Sorry if it sucks.

“Wake up,” Archie exclaimed as he shook his boyfriend from his peaceful slumber. “Oh my gosh, Cook! Get up! You’re going to be late! Going to miss your flight!”   
  
David opened his eyes, sleepily, focusing on Archie who was sitting on his knees on the bed next to him, looking very much like he’d just woken up as well. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he took in his boyfriend’s panicked expression. “Relax, babe.”   
  
“We overslept. You have to leave in an hour at least if you want to make your flight.”   
  
With a big yawn, David stretched before sitting up. “Come shower with me?”   
  
Archie shoved him gently. “No. You don’t have time for that,” he said with a laugh.   
  
“Well, you’re no fun.”   
  
“I am when you’re not running late. Now go!”   
  
David shook his head in defeat and got out of bed. He didn’t even bother to cover his nakedness as he walked across their bedroom floor to the bathroom. He looked back over his shoulder, smiling deviously. “Are you sure you won’t join me?”   
  
Archie grabbed a pillow and chucked it at David who laughed loudly as he went on into the bathroom to start his shower. He shook his head, smiling as he fell back onto the mattress to stare at the ceiling. He hated it when their jobs took one of them away from the other, but at the same time he was glad that they had everything that they’d ever wanted.    
  
The next thing he knew, David was waking him up in the same manner that he’d woke him up a little while earlier. “Hmmm?”   
  
“It’s not fair that I have to get up this early to catch a plane and you get to sleep in.”   
  
Archie smiled and sat up. “I’m sure the tabled will turn soon enough.”   
  
David sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’ll see you in a few days,” he said, leaning in to place a soft kiss against Archie’s lips. “Love you.”   
  
Archie grinned, resting his forehead against David’s. “I love you. Have a good trip.”   
  
After another quick kiss, David stood up and grabbed his bags from the corner before opening their bedroom door. He glanced back at Archie who waved. “Call you when I land.”   
  
“You better.”   
  
*****   
The next time Archie woke up, he climbed out of bed and walked to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once he was finished with that, he got dressed and headed downstairs to the kitchen for breakfast.    
  
As he opened the refrigerator, he noticed a note on the door. He smiled and his heart soared as he read his lover’s word, promising to miss him and reminding him to miss him too. Like he needed a reminder!    
  
After he’d found something, he flipped on the TV and hopped up on the barstool to eat and listen to the news. He vaguely heard something about a delay in traffic due to an accident and he wondered if David’s commute to the airport had been affected. With that thought, he picked up the phone and dialed his number. It, of course, went straight to voice mail and Archie laid the phone back down, figuring that he had not been delayed, he was on the plane and his phone was off.    
  
It wasn’t until the news anchor said the model of the car, that he finally looked at the TV screen. There, he saw pictures and video footage of a mangled black SUV lying against the guard rails. His heart began to thump against his chest and he moved closer to the TV in order to see more clearly. “Oh, God.”   
  
*****   
  
The trip to the hospital was a blur. Archie didn’t even remember who had taken him there or how he had known where David was, but he was there, standing numbly by the window in the ER where doctors were working hard, trying desperately to save his boyfriend’s life.    
  
He felt an arm go around his shoulders and he looked up to see Brooke. He didn’t even have to speak. His eyes told her everything she needed to know, so she pulled him into her arms and hugged him tightly. “Oh, honey.”   
  
“I shouldn’t have woke him up. I should have just let him sleep.” Archie sobbed. Oh, Lord. This was all his fault. If only he hadn’t rushed him.    
  
“No. No, sweetie. Don’t do this to yourself.”    
  
*****   
  
It was impossible for Archie to not blame himself. Especially when he stood in the now empty ER room, staring at the lifeless body on the gurney in front of him. The doctors had done everything they could, but his injuries were too extensive. Finally, Archie worked up enough courage to reach out and touch a blood stained cheek, trembling as he did so. Gently, he stroked it with his thumb. “I’m so sorry, baby,” he choked lowly before breaking down completely and throwing himself on to the gurney, holding tightly to the body of the man he loved. “So sorry. I love you. I…I don’t know what I’m going to do. You weren’t supposed to leave me. I need you.”   
  
He somehow felt that he could have prevented this. Perhaps if had let him sleep longer, or if he’d have joined him in the shower when he asked him to, maybe he wouldn’t have been in that spot at the exact same time as the trucker who lost his breaks. If only…   
  
*****   
  
The service was simple and private, just as David would have preferred it. Archie stood in the cemetery, watching as the casket was lowered into the ground. If it hadn’t been for Brooke holding on to one arm and Beth the other, he may have just jumped in with it. He didn’t want to live now. What would life be like without his other half?   
  
“Archie,” Brooke spoke with a soft voice. “Are you ready?” He nodded and turned to walk away from the gravesite. Beth was already a few steps ahead of him, but she turned around and hugged him tightly. This only caused him to burst into tears again. They’d told him that he needed to cry. To let it all out, but he was to the point that it hurt to cry.   
  
*****    
  
Archie sat straight up in his bed, breathing erratically, sweating, and his eyes were filled with tears. As the images from his dream slowly faded away, he managed to calm his breathing, but his tears were still falling freely. He looked around the room. The sun was just about to come up and there was a faint glow filtering through the windows. He glanced over at the red numbers on the digital clock on David’s night stand. It read 4:35am. Twenty-five minutes before the alarm was set to go off. Carefully, he reached over and turned it off. He didn’t need the alarm. He didn’t want the alarm. All he wanted was David. After another moment of looking around the room, he slid himself back down into the bed and wrapped his arms around the man lying next to him.    
  
When he woke up again, the sun was shining brightly and he noticed almost immediately that he was alone. He looked at the rumpled sheets around him on the bed and panic began to set in. Quickly, he got up and grabbed a pair of shorts from the floor, putting them on as he practically ran from the bedroom.    
  
Once he was in the living room and saw his lover sitting comfortably on the couch with a newspaper in hand, he stopped and leaned his head up against the wall, trying to calm himself and will the tears away when he felt their familiar sting.    
  
“Babe?”   
  
Archie looked up at the older man sitting on the couch, giving him a concerned look. He sniffled softly before walking numbly over to the couch. He dropped to his knees and wrapped his arms around familiar legs, laying his head on a warm thigh. “I had the most horrible nightmare.”   
  
David tossed the paper to the side and reached down to pull Archie up onto the couch beside of him where he held him close. “What about?”   
  
Archie laid his head on David’s shoulder. He really didn’t want to talk about it. He was too afraid of recalling those images, but he did it anyway. He wanted David to know just how afraid of losing him he was. “Y-you were on your way to the airport and there was an accident.” He sobbed, unable to stop the tears that were once again streaming down his cheeks. The dream had felt so real. He’d been certain he was hallucinating when he woke up earlier to find David sleeping next to him. “You died, and we…we buried you.”    
  
“I’m right here, baby,” David soothed, while running his hand up and down Archie’s back, trying to calm him. “Alive and well.”   
  
“It was so real,” Archie confessed. “I really thought I’d lost you. And the pain was so bad, Cook. It felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. All I could think about was never seeing you again. Never kissing you. Never holding you. Never being held in your arms. Never getting to tell you that I love you. What if you didn’t know how much I love you? What if I didn’t say it enough? Ya know?”   
  
David remained silent, letting Archie talk. Obviously he needed to get this out. It was a weird and eerie feeling; knowing that Archie had experienced such a dream.    
  
“I do. I love you so much, Cook. I think I would die if something ever happened to you.”   
  
“Archie?”   
  
“Hmm?”   
  
“Is that why my alarm clock was turned off this morning?”   
  
Guiltily, Archie nodded his head, burring his face in the soft fabric of David’s tee shirt. “I was so afraid,” he said. “I’m sorry for making you miss your flight.”   
  
David smiled, leaning his head against his boyfriend’s head. “It’s ok. Nothing that can’t be rescheduled.” They both sat in silence for a few minutes, and then David spoke. “Archie, I love you.”   
  
“I love you too, Cook. I wish there were words to express just how much.”   
  
David smiled. “I think I get it.”   
  
Archie looked up, his eyes meeting David’s. “Can we just stay here for the rest of the day? I need you near.”   
  
“We can stay here as long as you want.”    
  
~FIN~

**Author's Note:**

> I do not know or own either of the Davids or anyone else in this fic, this is just my wild, twisted imagination at work....deal with it. Yeah, there is a longer disclaimer that I should add but until then, don't sue me. I have nothing anyways.


End file.
